DELAWARE — Another proposed housing development is coming down the pike in Delaware.
The city’s Planning Commission unanimously approved a zoning amendment on the east side for a project referred to as Flax and Lake Street residential, for now.
The developers behind this project, Ex Flax LLC, are the same ones behind the existing Mill on Flax development.
The item will now go before city council next for further approval. Council will discuss the zoning change during their Sept. 28 meeting that will also feature a public hearing.
The amendment would consolidate several zoning designations across the 1.75-acre site on the west side of the Lake and Flax street intersection into a residential planned unit development (R-PUD).
The site currently includes two single-family homes, a two-family home and several vacant lots, according to a city staff report.
Three vacant lots at the northeast corner of Parsons Avenue and Flax Street have been used as an informal parking lot since at least 1997, according to the report.
Across Flax Street from the main site sits a smaller piece of the project at 105 Lake Street. The Lake Street piece currently contains a historic carriage house.
Developer Barbara Jordan said crews would have to tear down the carriage house because it has fallen into disrepair and is beyond saving. A concept plan shows that the developers could build a two-story duplex/townhome in its place.
The concept plan proposes 38 dwelling units per acre. Unlike a final development plan, the concept does not authorize construction and would require additional approvals from the Planning Commission and City Council.
At that density, the 1.75-acre site could include up to 68 units.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Anna Kelsey said that is comparable to the nearby Mill on Flax development, which has about 37 units per acre.
The concept plan also shows roadway and building mockups.
“All of these items are purely conceptual at this stage,” Kelsey said. “Specific roadway layouts, building designs and other things would be determined at the development plan stage.”
The site’s proposed uses include:
- 2, 3, and 4+ family dwellings
- A cluster single-family development
- A multi-family complex
- Either a public or private recreational facility
- As conditional use, neighborhood commercial. Examples of this include a book store or coffee shop-like business, not a grocery store or any other “higher impact” commercial use.
Neighbor weighs in with traffic concerns
During the public hearing at Wednesday’s meeting, one Webb Street resident voiced concerns about growing traffic in the area given the amount of new apartment complexes that are already close to opening.
Christina Schwartz said she is already seeing increased traffic in the area, even though new apartments at Sugar Run, Greenwood Commons and Chamberlain Street have yet to open.
“The road is the same as it has been since forever,” she said. “The traffic has gotten bad, but I just worry that it’s going to be even worse.”
Schwartz also pointed to construction traffic, noise and litter from development in the area.
“I know there’s always going to be noise and there’s always going to be traffic, but it’s gotten kind of crazy,” she said. “We do feel a little bit like we’re not considered when building all of this.”
Prior to the public hearing, Kelsey explained to the commission that the site does not meet the threshold requiring a traffic impact study. However, she said the applicant did do a peak hour trip generation study.
“That said, this is a pretty substantial corridor on our east side so there are some things the engineering department is asking of the applicant in terms of traffic improvements,” Kelsey added.
Kelsey said the developer would be responsible for standard improvements, including dedicating right-of-way and completing design and construction work along streets bordering the property.
The developer would also be required to contribute to a city fund for planned improvements to the Lake Street and Central Avenue intersection. Kelsey said the amount would be determined later as the city develops plans for the project.
Adding to the engineering asks, Kelsey said the applicant would also need to bring the site up to base code by adding in proper sidewalks and street trees.
More neighbors express flooding and utility issues
Lake Street resident Joseph Amato also expressed concerns about flooding and stormwater drainage in the Flax and Lake Streets area.
“We get a lot of flooding over there right in front of my house and right across the street from the grain elevator there,” Amato said.
About two weeks ago, many places around the city experienced flooding after severe rain storms. One Facebook commenter said several first-floor apartments at the Mill on Flax took on water due to plumbing issues.
Amato said a 30- to 36-inch storm sewer runs through his property to the river and has been a source of problems in the past. He attributed a previous collapse of his front porch to deterioration of the sewer and said backups have sent water into his basement.
“So if they add all this additional stuff, what are they going to do about updating the storm sewer as well as other utilities in that area?” he said.
Another Webb street resident, Jacob Ives, said since some of these new developments have come around, Webb Street homes have experienced noticeable light flickering.
The commission said the utility system for the area is a long-standing one. Project Engineer Carrie Fortman added the city’s utilities department is aware of the issues, but the developers behind this housing development are not on the hook to remedy these issues.
Fortman said the city would likely have to create a capital improvement project to address these utility issues.
“They’ve done it for other developments we’ve worked on in the recent past, and it would be something we make sure we are coordinating with them so that they could respond appropriately,” she said.
